Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara is all set to represent Derbyshire in the ongoing English County season after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) approved his application to play county cricket post the humiliating Test defeat in England. Pujara had requested for a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the BCCI, which it has agreed to. He is expected to join Derbyshire in the first week of September.

“He had applied for an NOC and the BCCI has approved his request. He will be playing for Derbyshire and as he is not part of the Indian ODI team and T20 side, he is free to join them,” BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel told The Indian Express.

Pujara was in talks with two other county clubs — Yorkshire and Leicestershire — but the Saurashtra batsman opted for Derbyshire. In the five Test match series, Pujara managed to score just 222 runs with only one fifty and had struggled against some quality England pace attack. Pujara is expected to play three county games and a few practice matches before he returns home for the domestic season.

Patel said the BCCI has never said no to county cricket as it helps players to grow. “We have seen how county cricket has helped our players in the past. We have never said no to county cricket but we want our players to be there when our home series starts,” Patel added.